People not aware about RTE Act
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, February 8
Though it has been more than two years since the right of children to free and compulsory education (RTE) was enacted (April 2010), since then the organisation entrusted with the task of monitoring compliance has registered just eight complaints from parents reflecting lack of awareness about the Act.

Besides the NCPCR, the responsibility of monitoring in the states lies with the State Commissions for Protection of Child Rights (SCPCR), or in the absence of state commissions, the Right to Education Protection Authority (REPA).

“Though the Right to Education was implemented, the child panel was formed only last year and we have received a few complaints about schools failing students despite an RTE provision against failing students. Besides, we have also issued guidelines to schools against corporal punishment,” said Ajay Setia, Chairman, state child rights panel.

However, education experts say that besides taking the SCPCR route, the redressal mechanism for which a government order was recently issued has also been set up at the department level. The two-way system of grievance redressal is bound to give strength to the complainant.

“The complainant can approach the committees at the block level and the district level. In case, the complaint is not heard, the issue can be brought to the Secretary, Education. As the mechanism has been set into motion recently, there is lack of awareness,”said RK Kunwar, Additional Director, Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan.

He said the schools had been asked to advertise about the Right to Education on school walls so that the parents became aware.

The range of complaints related to Right to Education is varied and the same agency cannot address all of them and at different levels. It is for this reason the grievance redressal mechanism has been set from the block level onwards.

“If at the block level, a complaint about a dirty, non-functional toilets is filed, it can be taken up at the committee meetings chaired by the pradhan and the solution will be possible. A major chunk of the complaints filed by parents under violation of the Right to Education (RTE) Act will then be redressed,” said Kunwar.

Ramdev’s food park plant causing pollution: Villagers
People claim that plant chemicals have killed their animals
PCB officials take samples
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, February 8
Local villagers have blamed Swami Ramdev’s Padartha Food Park plant, one of India’s biggest food park, situated on the Laksar-Roorkee road, for polluting the environment. They have alleged that chemicals emitted from the park were causing death of their cows and other animals.

The villagers complained that hazardous water discharged from the park was killing their animals and in the recent past, several skin-related problems had been reported.

Taking cognisance of the complaint, a district administration team surveyed the food park and found polluted water coming out of the plant which penetrated into fields nearby.

Sub-Divisional Magistrate Arvind Kumar Pandey said he had written to the Pollution Control Board in this regard. As a result, a team, led by Ankur Kankhal of the Environment Conservation and Pollution Control Board, took samples of the polluted water today.

Pollution Control Board officials said they had taken samples and exact situation would be known after the report was out. The park processes fruits and vegetables juices.

Meanwhile, Padartha Food Park officials refuted the charges as baseless, saying that the water was treated and caused no harm to human beings or animals.

An official even termed the allegations as conspired by some local Congress leaders, owing to Swami Ramdev carrying out an anti-black money drive against the Centre.

Notably, the Padartha Food Park was inaugurated on February 26, 2009, by then Food Processing Union Cabinet Minister Subodh Kant Sahay and was the second such park in the country then.

Hundreds of employees work in the food park which is generating revenue and employment on a large scale. There were strikes by factory workers in the recent past, alleging wages being given less than stipulated minimum wages as per labour laws.

Higher valley villages still cut off due to snow
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, February 8
Villagers of snow-clad Garbyang valley in Dharchula subdivision of this district have been cut off from the rest of the region as the road to the area has been closed to traffic due to continuous heavy snowfall for the 
last three days.

The possibility of opening of this road is dim as the PWD teams have come back from these areas due to lack of essential snow safety equipment. “We have warned the villagers in the higher valleys that the road closed for the last 10 days due to heavy snow could not be opened in the absence of PWD workers,” said Kedar Singh Rawat, ITBP Commandant.

Rawat said the Kuti camp of the ITBP had 215 cm of snow deposits at present while Kalapani had 187 cm and Gunji and Garbiyang towns 135 cm and 145 cm, respectively. “No local routes, except tracks from one to other border posts of the ITBP, are open in the valley,” said Rawat.

According to ITBP sources, the snowfall this week in the higher valleys has broken records of the last 10 years as the higher pickets of the force 
are fully covered with heavy deposits of snow these days.

The residents of Munsiyari town, who had been facing a shortage of essential goods and fuel as the road to the town had been closed for the last four days due to heavy rain and snowfall, heaved a sigh of relief as the road was opened today.

Mother of 4 raped in US Nagar

Dehradun, February 8
A woman was allegedly raped by a farmer in Udham Singh Nagar district after being offered a lift in his car, the police said today.

Chinda Singh, a rich farmer who knew the 25-year-old victim, offered her a lift in his car yesterday on the pretext of helping her get a job in SIDCUL, said the SHO, Pantnagar police station, where the complaint was lodged.

As the victim, a mother of four, knew the farmer, she trusted him and got into his car. The accused then drove the car to the Tada jungle, where he allegedly raped her, the official said.

Chinda Singh was arrested today from Bajpur town on the basis of the woman's complaint, he said. Both the accused and the victim belong to Udham Singh Nagar district and were acquainted with each other, as he had helped her get a job in the past too using his influence, he said. — PTI

UPA government move to amend Constitution to be opposed
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, February 8
M Nagraj of Karnataka, national president of the All-India Equality Forum, who has been spearheading the anti-reservation movement in the country, today said the employees would oppose tooth and nail every government effort to bring the 117th Amendment in the Constitution granting reservation in promotion.

Nagraj was speaking at a seminar organised by the Uttarakhand Adhikari Karamchari Shikshak Sangharsh Morcha. He said in case the Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha, they would then chalk out a strategy to prevent the reelection of the representatives and take to the streets.

“The efforts of the UPA government to introduce the Bill in the Lok Sabha will prove counterproductive. It is against the fundamental principle of equal opportunities for all as enshrined in the Constitution,” said Nagraj.

Over 1,500 delegates attended the seminar in which visitors from Kurukshetra University too shared their experiences about how they were forced to approach the High Court after they were denied promotions.

A live video conferencing was also facilitated in which Shailender Dubey, national president of the Sarvjan Hitay Sanrakshan Samiti, Uttar Pradesh, addressed the gathering.

It was unanimously decided to oppose the UPA government move to introduce 117th Amendment in the Constitution granting reservation in promotion.

Dubey said the Uttar Pradesh government had already scrapped reservation in promotion by implementing the Supreme Court decision of April 27, 2012.

The members were also administered oath against encouraging the practice of reservation.

Literacy a must for development, says CDO
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, February 8
Literacy is imperative for India to get on track to become a developed nation. Illiteracy is a social curse which is the major hindrance in the overall development of society.

Chief Development Officer BS Dhanik said this at the ‘Literate India Campaign’ at a book exhibition at Panna Lal Bhalla College here today.

The campaign organised by the Zila Lok Siksha Samiti focused on generating awareness about literacy and helping the poor and the aged to become literate. A book exhibition targeting the illiterate audience was also organised in which more than 12 book publishers participated.

Dhanik said as books were targeted to make people literate and generate awareness among the rural people about literature a 25 per cent discount was being given on the books available.

Kanchan Devradi, Additional District Education Officer, said in the coming days the book exhibition would cover rural and far-flung areas as part of the campaign.

Anjum Begum, Chairperson of the Zila Panchayat, Haridwar, stressed on the need for such initiatives and said in rural areas mostly women and old persons were illiterate, which is one of the main reasons for their backwardness.

Anjum added on the personal level she was trying to ensure that the book exhibition is organised in at least all 42 zila panchayat wards.

Renowned literati Dr SK Batra said these books comprising simple, graphic and photo-feature based chapters were quite handy in teaching illiterate people, also in creating interests among common folks about books and education.

Cultural, sports festival kicks off in Gurukul Mahavidyalaya
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, February 8
A two-day cultural and sports festival commenced at Gurukul Mahavidyalaya here today to mark the 151st birth anniversary of founder Swami Darshanand Saraswati Maharaj.

Gurukul Mahavidyalaya Principal Dr Keshav Prasad Upadhyaya shed light on the life of Swami Darshanand Saraswati and urged students to follow his ideals so that the Gurukul tradition lights the life of others.

While Vice-Chancellor Dr Hari Gopal Shastri stressed on the need of sports and physical education in students' life and termed music as a tool to attain mental peace.

In a football match, Gurukul Kangri Vidyalaya Department - A team won against Gayatri Vidyapeeth, Shantikunj.

While in the 100 metre race, Brahamchari Deependra and Sagr Gupta emerged victorious in two different categories. In the 200 mteres girls race, Aarti Nautiyal, Nidhi Suyal and Juli Dhiman shared the podium.

In Sanskrit shloka recitation, Brahamchari Mohit Naithani and Rohit Joshi of Rishikul Vidyapeeth Brahamcharyashram Sanskrit Mahavidyalaya jointly won the contest with 154 points out of 200.

The Classical vocal song contest (junior section)was won by Rishikul Vidyapeeth followed by Shri Hari Bharti Sanskrit Mahavidyalay and Gurukul Kangri Vidyalaya Vibhag. The senior section contest was clinched by Shri Bhagwan Das Adarsh Mahavidyalaya ,Gurukul Mahavidyalaya, Jwalapur, and Rishi Sanskrit Mahavidyalaya.

Judges for the various events were Professor Dr Vijay Kumar Tyagi, Dr Veena Shastri, Dr Vipin Kumar, K Gopi Raman Jha. Event coordinators included Chetra Pal Singh Chauhan, Vijendra Singh, Dr Gyan Prabha Pradhan, Dr Shiv Shankar Jaiswal, Dr Hans Raj Mishra, Dr Sushil Kumar Tyagi, Dr Prakash Chand Joshi, Pt Hemant Tiwari, Duleep Kumar, Sandeep Kumar and Lokesh Kumar.

2 leopards, tiger found dead

Dehradun, February 8
A four-year-old tiger was found dead in the Rajaji National Park even as two leopards were found dead in the Kumaon and Garhwal regions.

The carcass of the tiger was found by a patrol team of wildlife personnel in the Gauhri range of the Rajaji National Park here yesterday, the park authorities said today.

Though the limbs of the tiger, including its nails and teeth are intact, prima facie its death seems to have been caused by poisoning, they said, adding that a pig was also found dead 600 m away from where the carcass of the tiger was found.

The Rajaji park authorities suspect that the pig was poisoned by forest dwellers living close to the park 
and the tiger died after preying on it.

Out of the nine tigers at the park, it was the only one with reproductive powers with the rest of them being either too young or too old to procreate, the park authorities said. Its death is being seen as a big loss for the park.

Meanwhile, in separate incidents, two leopards were found dead in the Kumaon and Garhwal divisions. — PTI

Trace missing children, DIG orders officials
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, February 8
DIG, Dehradun Range, Amit Sinha, held a meeting over missing children with SSP Kewal Khurana, SP, Traffic, Ajay Joshi, City CO Mamta Vohra and other officials. Taking cognisance of the Supreme Court’s strict direction on tracing missing children, Sinha today directed the officials to expedite efforts in searching for missing children in the district.

He said the circle officers must also sensitise the lower staff at the police station level, especially the beat constables. He also asked beat constables to inquire about the status of missing children in the district and update their list.

Sinha also discussed the Raipur dacoity case in detail, inquiring about the progress made in it so far. He also gave inputs in the matter to resolve it. Alongside, he also mentioned about various shortcomings in the investigations and the ways to overcome it.

The SSP also held the monthly meeting with station officers

(SO) of various police stations and directed them with crime, traffic and drug and land mafia strictly. He showed his unhappiness over the report cards of the SO’s in these matters.

Thick fog engulfs Haridwar; traffic on highways hit
Tribune News Service

Hardiwar, February 8
The Kumbh city woke up to thick fog and chilly winds today. This was quite surprising as the thick foggy weather with cold winds was not witnessed in the city yesterday.

Visibility was poor till noon, making the traffic movement on the National Highway-58 and the National Highway-72 quite tough. However, no major accident was reported.

Traffic policemen were deployed at major intersections like Ranipur Mod, Bhagat Singh chowk, Rishikul tri-intersection and the SIDCUL industrial area. The impact of a change in the weather was also felt on the inflow of tourists.

People had lit bonfires to keep themselves warm and villagers and slum dwellers could be seen collecting wood for fire purpose. It was also a busy day for tea and coffee vendors.

This Gairsain man is credited with killing 42 leopards
Jotirmay Thapliyal
Tribune News Service

Lakhpat Singh Rawat

Dehradun, February 8
Credited with killing 42 man eaters in Uttarakhand, leopard hunter Lakhpat Singh Rawat is no ordinary villager from Gairsain. Apart from creating a record of sorts by killing the highest number of man eaters in the state, Lakhpat’s services were also being sought today by neighbouring Himachal Pradesh to gun down a man eater leopard in Rampur.

Interacting with The Tribune, Lakhpat disclosed that while killing a man eater leopard certainly hurt him much, but he still did this free of cost for the sake of human being. He recollected his initiation into man eater hunting way back in 2002, where a prowling man eater killed a number of schoolchildren at Adi Badri in Chamoli district of the state.

“It was then that I decided to take to gun to kill that man eater,” Lakhpat Singh said, adding that he never looked back since then and in one decade shot down 42 man eaters. He said each and every man eater killing had been recorded.

BBC channel officials stayed for more than a week with Lakhpat a few days back making a documentary on his hunting expeditions and trying to draw a parallel with famous hunter of bygone years Jim Corbett. A BBC documentary focuses on man eater problem in Uttarakhand, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.

Lakhpat Singh Rawat firmly believes that the school education authorities too have responsibility towards rising incidents of death of schoolchildren by man eaters. “Every year, 24 children from the age of 3 to 14 years are mauled by leopards in Uttarakhand, which is a matter of concern,” he said.

He said one of the aims behind penning down his hunting experiences in the form of "Paharon Key Narbakshi" book was to sensitise schoolchildren about man eaters. He said the causalties of children could be reduced through awareness.

Referring to his assessment of a large number of leopard turning to man eaters in Uttarakhand, Lakhpat Singh points out that there has been spread of lantana in the state and leopards, whose populations too have increased substancially, were coming into contact with this grass that keeps high acidic properties.

“This either was adversely affecting their claws or teeth making them unfit for prey hunting and forcing them to take to children as easy target,” he said, seeking a research on the subject by wildlife biologists.

Lakhpat Singh Rawat is presently posted at Block Resources Centre, Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan, Gairsain, in Chamoli district. 

Book on man eaters by Lakhpat Rawat out
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, February 8
“Pahar Key Narbakshi”, a book by Lakhpat Singh Rawat, a maneater leopard hunter, was released in Dehradun today. Releasing the book published by Winsar Publication, Director General, School Education, Uttarakhand, RK Sudhanshu said he would make efforts towards bringing the book as part of school curriculum.

He said it was a matter of pride for the state Education Department that Lakhpat Singh Rawat, who serves in the Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan unit of the department, has also come up with a book on his experiences while dealing with man eaters in the state.

Director, Secondry School Education, CS Gwal too appreciated Lakhpat Singh Rawat and said he would also make efforts for the inclusion of “Pahar Key Narbakshi” in the school curriculum.

Editor of the book Gajendra Nautiyal said the book at length dwelt on the reason that forced leopards towards taking to man eating. He said the change of behaviour in leopard when it took to man eating had also been revealed in the book.

Writer Lakhpat Singh Rawat said leopard turning into man eaters had become a big challenge in Uttarakhand and was almost like a routine disaster. He disclosed that the book apart from his experiences of hunting down various man eaters in Uttarakhand also suggested measures needed to be undertaken to make children alert from man eaters.

Kirti Nawani from Winsar Publication said it was for the first time that hunter Lakhpat Singh Rawat had tried to share his hunting experiences in the form of a book. He said Winsar Publication had been giving due importance to wildlife and man-animal conflict issues.

FRI training for J&K forest employees concludes
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, February 8
A week-long training programme for front line staff of the Jammu and Kashmir State Forest Department on nursery technology and plantation management concluded at Forest Research Institute (FRI) today.

Giving away the certificates to the participants at the scientists’ hostel, FRI, Deputy Director General (Education), ICFRE, Omkar Singh, said such training programmes were very important for developing skills of the staff of the state Forest Departments. He said the FRI was an apt institution for such programmes where expertise was available in all forestry-related subjects. He wished that trainees use the knowledge gained during the training en-course of their duties in the field.

Head, silviculture division, FRI, AS Rawat, said the trainees from the Jammu and Kashmir State Forest Department had given a positive feedback about the training. Earlier, the course director, Dr Manisha Thapliyal, gave a detailed report of the course and said the participants had appreciated the entire training module, especially the techniques of seed dormancy pretreatments, seed storage, nursery techniques and management of seed orchards.

They have also learnt about the importance of soil fertility management in nursery and plantations and biomass estimation techniques, management of fungal and insect-pest diseases of seed.

The trainees appreciated the training course and the hospitality extended to them by the institute and its staff. They found the visit to the museums, and nurseries very enriching. The Range Officers from Forest Research Institute, Jammu, were keen on establishing a seed herbarium in their institute, similar to the one in the FRI.

Milk production to increase in state
3,600 animals to be purchased
Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, February 8
To increase milk production in the state, the state Dairy Department is launch a new scheme from the coming financial year under which 3,600 milk-yielding animals will be purchased from other states with an expenditure of Rs 7.50 crore. This was stated by Director of the state Dairy Department Dhiraj Singh Garbiyal said here today.

“We aim at linking BPL families besides the SCs and STs in the move to increase milk production in the state by giving 50 per cent subsidy for purchasing milk-yielding animal to the BPL families and 40 per cent to general farmer,” said Garbiyal.

He said the department aimed at interlinking the MNREGA with the Saghan Mini Dairy Yojna and the Swarna Jayanti Swarojgar Yojana to create wider economic avenue for poor farmers and animal keepers in all 13 districts of the state. “We have also decided to give incentive of one rupee per kg on the milk produced by the farmer under the scheme from April to strengthen the dairy cooperatives in the villages,” said Garbiyal.

Garbiyal said the state government had an impression that after the creation of the state, milk production could not be increased as required in the state, taking advantage of which several private parties from other states had became active in the state in the sphere of milk production. It had resulted in heavy financial losses to the poor farmers and animal husbandry dependents in the state, he added.